


Can't See the Stars Anymore Living Here

by magickmoons



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Birthday, Challenge Response, Established Relationship, M/M, Season/Series 09, Washington D.C.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-21
Updated: 2014-10-21
Packaged: 2018-02-22 00:52:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2488364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magickmoons/pseuds/magickmoons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack was somewhat less than excited about this particular birthday. The whole day had just emphasized the loneliness that had been growing daily since his transfer to DC.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can't See the Stars Anymore Living Here

**Author's Note:**

> written for the Happy Birthday, Jack O'Neill! challenge at [Event Horizons](http://event-horizons.dreamwidth.org/).
> 
> Set between _Prototype_ and _The Fourth Horseman_.
> 
> * * *

The doorman's cheery "Happy birthday, General!" echoed through the marble lobby as Jack entered. Jack smiled his thanks and continued on to the elevator, having neither the energy nor the inclination to stop and talk.

He was somewhat less than excited about this particular birthday. The whole day had just emphasized the loneliness that had been growing daily since his transfer to DC. It wasn't that people had forgotten him. George had called from his daughter's house, where he was playing Grandpa nearly full time now. Carter had sent a card; more likely, she had probably prepared the card and left very specific instructions for someone on her staff to send it, since SG1 had been offworld for the better part of the past week. Jack had also gotten a notification that "Murray" (quotes included) had gifted him a subscription to the Beer of the Month club. He made a mental note to talk to Carter about blocking the home shopping channels from Teal'c's cable lineup.

Even his assistant had included a piece of cake with the lunch he had brought for Jack to scarf down at his desk while reading briefing materials.

No, _people_ hadn't forgotten.

Which had just made it sting all the more when he had opened the email from Daniel this afternoon. Jack's expectant smile had faded when he had found only a justification for all the items that Landry had cut from Daniel's departmental budget request (and which Jack had already added back in). He made mental note #2 as the elevator rose and silently opened onto his floor: tell Landry that Daniel didn't pad his budget requests. Even after all those years in academia, bureaucratic politics was not a game Daniel played.

Jack tried not to take it personally. Daniel had forgotten his own birthday more than once in the time Jack had known him. But it had been a long week, a long month, and an even longer time since he'd held Daniel in his arms, touched him, loved him.

Damn promotions. Damn politics. And damn the Ori.

He entered his quiet apartment and headed straight to the bedroom, where he removed his uniform with a speed that spoke of equal parts efficiency and sheer desperation to get the hell out of it. He pulled on an old pair of sweats and a t-shirt, and was on his way to the kitchen when the intercom buzzed.

"General, you have a delivery which requires a personal signature. Would you rather come down, or shall I send him up?"

Jack sighed. "Send him up, please."

He thumbed off the intercom and headed back to the refrigerator, searching for anything even vaguely edible. How was it that he was home even less now than when he had been going off-world?

Giving fresh food up for lost, he had just grabbed the stack of delivery menus when the doorbell rang. He tossed them onto the table near the door as he opened it.

A generic greeting froze on Jack's lips when he opened the door, because standing there in the hallway was Daniel. Daniel, who was in Colorado; Daniel, who hadn't mentioned coming out here; Daniel, who had returned from a mission just hours ago.

Daniel, who was standing there trying not to laugh as he said, "I guess saying 'Surprise' would be a little obvious at this point."

Jack stepped back just far enough to let him into the apartment. It really was him, he thought as he inhaled as Daniel passed him, already relaxing at the familiar scents of old paper, the recycled air of the base, and coffee. God, it was like a hit of the best drug ever, just to stand near him again.

Daniel set his bags down to the side (his customary duffel, plus two plastic grocery bags), gently pulled the door from Jack's grip and shut it firmly. Then Daniel was pulling at Jack himself, putting his arms around him, lips and tongue and breath meeting Jack's with a hunger that said more in the space of a moment than months of guarded phone conversations and encrypted emails ever could.

Jack threaded one hand into Daniel's hair, the other skating along his jaw, loving the contrast of smooth silkiness on one, rough stubble against the other. He moaned at the feel of Daniel's body tight against his, how perfectly they fit together, how he could feel each beat of his heart answered in Daniel's chest.

Too soon, Daniel began to pull back, and Jack tightened his hold, not ready to give this up. Daniel smiled against Jack's lips as he leaned back in, the kisses turning softer, less urgent. Daniel tucked his hands under the waistband of Jack's sweatpants, his thumbs gently stroking small circles into the tight mass of muscle at the small of Jack's back.

After a while, Daniel pulled back far enough to rest his forehead against Jack's and brought one hand up to stroke his cheek. "Happy birthday, Jack."

There were so many ways to answer that. _Now it is_ , _Only with you_ , _I miss you so much_. What Jack said was, "Yeah," and Daniel smiled because he got it.

They stayed like that for a minute, just being together, then Daniel straightened. "I hope you're hungry," he said.

As he picked up the grocery bags, Jack caught the pungent scent of ginger and garlic. "Now I am."

Daniel surveyed the apartment quickly before heading toward the kitchen with the bags, speaking as he went. "Nyan's new research assistant just finished a fellowship at Georgetown. She swears by this place."

He placed several containers of Chinese food on the small kitchen table, and then, with a sly smile, he pulled a bakery box out of the other bag. Seeing Jack's interested look, he added, "I picked up a birthday pie for dessert."

Jack leaned his chin on shoulder and reached around to open the box. Pie. Yes, pie was good. But...

"Hmm," Jack breathed. "I was kind of thinking of something else for dessert." The shiver that ran through Daniel as he arched back against Jack was delicious in itself.

"Well, it is your birthday, so I guess you _could_ have two desserts," he teased. "I'll even let you choose the order. But please, dinner first. I haven't eaten in, oh..." Daniel looked at his watch, then shrugged. "A really long time."

Jack brushed a kiss along Daniel's neck before he stepped back. "Okay. Dinner first. There's no need to rush. Right?"

"Right." Daniel tossed a set of wooden chopsticks to Jack, then opened his own, sitting down and attacking the first container at hand. Jack grabbed two beers from the fridge and joined him.

Jack watched Daniel as they ate, cataloguing the changes since they'd last seen each other. He looked tired. The planet SG-1 had just visited had a very different day/night cycle than Earth, and Jack was willing to bet that Daniel hadn't found time for a nap since he'd returned. But there was also a fatigue that went beyond physical tiredness and a shadow that seemed to dance just behind his eyes, even as he smiled and nodded at Jack's stories.

After they consolidated the leftover food and threw it in the refrigerator, Jack grabbed two more beers and led the way into the living room. Daniel kicked his shoes off and then dropped onto the cushions next to Jack. Jack pulled Daniel close, fighting against muscle tension for a moment, before Daniel relaxed against him with a silent sigh.

"Tough one?" Jack asked, leaning his cheek against Daniel's hair.

Daniel shrugged. "Not like you don't already know."

"I don't. Your mission reports haven't hit my desk yet. I just got the all-clear that you were back a couple of hours ago. You want to talk about it?"

"Not really." Daniel stretched out on the couch on his side, facing away from Jack, twisting around until his cheek was comfortably situated on Jack's thigh. He then proceeded to talk about it -- well, as much as Daniel ever really talked about anything.

"It was the same old, same old, you know? Another planet fallen to the Ori, half the people worshipping out of fear, half out of some genuine hope for ascension and a better life, and half because they just don't give a damn." 

"That's too many..."

"Yeah. So sue me." Jack raised his eyebrows at the brusque tone, but if anyone was entitled it was Daniel. Too damn much on his plate: feeling responsible for the Ori, trying to get ahead of Ba'al's plan, whatever that may be, and the Anubis clone. They had probably dealt with just as much shit at various times over the years, but they had been together then -- able to hold each other, or at least offer a touch or a look of reassurance.

Jack sat there quietly, feeling the comfortable weight of Daniel's head against his leg, stroking his hair. He had missed this, needed this connection, this tangible proof that Daniel was whole and healthy. He watched the tension slowly fade from Daniel's muscles, and Jack wondered if he was falling asleep.

Half of him wanted to just stay in this moment of quiet comfort; half wanted to run his hands down to Daniel's cock and bring him up to desperate hardness and take him hard and fast; and half wanted to say "Screw it all," and pack up and take Daniel away from all this.

Jack laughed internally. Too many halves.

Daniel murmured lazily. "Something funny?"

"Nothing important."

Daniel nodded, and Jack drew in a sharp breath as Daniel's head brushed against his cock. Daniel stilled for a moment, shifted, and rubbed again, slowly turning and shifting until he was facing Jack. He stared with fascination as he reached out a finger to trace the outline of Jack's growing erection, clearly visible under the sweats. Jack groaned hoarsely; it had been so long.

"Maybe we should move this to the bedroom," Daniel suggested as he gently closed his lips around the shaft of Jack's cloth-covered penis, perfect pressure and heat. 

"Fuck, Daniel, I don't where we do this," Jack breathed, pushing up against Daniel's mouth which seemed to be not there. He looked down to see Daniel pushing to his feet with a smirk.

"Well, one of us seems not to bounce back from sleeping on the couch as easily as he used to."

"Yeah, sure. You know you're not getting any younger either!"

Daniel held out a hand to pull Jack to his feet, kissing him softly. "As long as I'm not getting any younger with you," he said softly as they headed for the bedroom.


End file.
